Accountability for Mental Health Failures on USS Abraham Lincoln

To: Sen. Van Hollen, Sen. Alsobrooks, Rep. McClain Delaney

From: A constituent in Frederick, MD

August 27

As a constituent, I am writing to express my profound disappointment with the Navy's handling of a young sailor who attempted suicide while deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln. The decision to charge him with "malingering" contradicts the Navy's own stated commitment to mental health. It is unconscionable that the Navy is using archaic legal codes to penalize a sailor for a crisis that was exacerbated by an extended deployment, dire conditions aboard ship, and the denial of his repeated pleas for support. I urge you to take direct and immediate action. Please contact the Department of Defense and demand that the disciplinary proceeding against this sailor be dismissed. Furthermore, I request your support for legislation requiring independent oversight of military mental health programs and mandating accountability for commanders whose negligence contributes to the deterioration of their sailors' wellbeing. The Navy cannot claim to support mental health while simultaneously punishing its victims.

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